With the football season coming to a close over the Thanksgiving Break, it is a reflective time for the seniors on the Eagles football team. Being their last year of high school, working hard into the playoffs, balancing out school work, and college searching, it’s an exhilarating time for them.

“It’s always exciting figuring out what the next step is in life, and there are always moments of doubt. It feels good being a senior and being able to leave a legacy behind you, though,” said Tate Heitmeier, senior.

And for some of them, it is sobering as well.

“It feels great to be looking at playing at the next level, but to be a senior it’s kinda sad. I wish I had one more year with this group of guys, I love them all. They’re my brothers,” said Andrew Colon, senior.

Being on the football team the past four years has really shaped the player’s characters and friendships, and how they treat one another.

“Being on any team will shape your character and make you friends, but Lake Ridge, They make you stand above all expectations and try and take a young boy and change him into a young man. And the friendships I’ve made playing football are life long. I still talk to last year’s team and the class of 2015 on a weekly basis, and they’re still to this day great people to be around,” explained Colon.

The coaches are another aspect that cause the seniors to feel sad about leaving high school. The Eagles look up to them as role models, and strive to be finer people because of them.

“I would have to thank the coaches for always motivating me to be a better person and always being there as a good role model to look up to. Coach Covington has always been brutally honest with me, to push me to be the best person I can be. I’ll always be indebted to him for that,” said Heitmeier.

“Coach Thor has really had an impact on me. He changes boys to men and uses football to change your life,” stated Dane Howell, senior.

Coach Thor, Head of the Athletic Department at Lake Ridge, looks back on this senior class with good feeling.

“Our coaches and I always miss our seniors when they finish their last season because we’ve enjoyed coaching them. Although I will miss our senior class, I am excited about their future. They are quality young men who will be the leaders of our community in the future,” explained Thor.

Thor’s outlook on how the team dynamic of football has changed the senior class is also positive, much like the team’s seniors.

“Being part of a team is a great way to learn how to lead and how to follow. It teaches student-athletes how to work together toward a common goal. It teaches personal and team accountability. Our society is filled with selfish people. Football allows our kids to learn how to be unselfish, by caring about their teammate while learning how to invest in the lives of others,” Thor said.

The seniors did offer up some words of advice to the teammates they were leaving behind.

“Don’t focus on offers or the varsity limelight, but to take time and genuinely live in the moment and take time to appreciate where they are and the game of football itself.” said Heitmeier.

“Don’t hold back. You never know when your last snap is going to be. Love everyday, every minute, every second, because when it’s over it’s over and you don’t want to have any regrets. Be 1-0 every chance you get,” explained Colon.

“Make every practice and game count,” said Howell.

And to the parting seniors, Coach Thor would like to remind them to, “Be 1-0 today. Focus on what you can control and don’t worry about the rest. Protect the integrity of Lake Ridge football. Those are three things that we talk about all the time, but I believe those are keys to success in life.”